I hope you’ll forgive the break in the Fourth Wall. So many of you have come by to check out Gardens of Equestria…well, let’s just say we should have done a better job of shoring that thing up. But we’ll leave that for next week. Instead, I’m going to give you a peek at what’s going on behind the scenes of the Manehattan Project and Gardens of Equestria.

Before we go any further, if you haven’t already seen it, we’ve started to release “Fallout: Equestria (The Manehattan Edition)” on YouTube! Today we’re starting out small with the Introduction, the Prologue and Chapter 1: Out of the Stable. We’ve done some special custom artwork for this YouTube release, so go check it out! We’ll be releasing 3 chapters a week starting next week, so make sure to subscribe to either GardensofEquestria.com or our YouTube Channel to stay in the loop!

In today’s development blog, we’ll talk a little about some of the in-development areas for Gardens of Equestria and give you some cool screenshots of things we have in store for you. You won’t be disappointed. But first, I realized that I forgot something very important when it came to designing this website. A Frequently Asked Questions page!

We’ve had a lot of questions come over our various announcement channels. So let’s take a few minutes to answer some of them!

It tells a unique tale of the Mojave Wasteland partially merged with Equestrian as familiar heroes from Fallout: Equestria appear in another form in our world. Something has gone terribly wrong and it’s up to you as the Courier to figure out what happened and how to stop it.

Will I be playing as a human or a pony?

You’ll be playing as a human. While GoE will support the New Vegas Pony Anthro Mod (as do most other mods), we are not including it as part of the package. That being said, humans aren’t the only sentient race you will encounter in your adventures. And that’s all we’re saying about that. ^^

What do I need to play GoE?

GoE will require a current and legitimate copy of Fallout: New Vegas. It will also require the DLC “Old World Blues.” While we recommend having the full DLC package, only “Old World Blues” is essential due to its many unique assets. (Note: This may change during development. If it does, we’ll keep you apprised)

In addition, you will need to have the mods “Fallout Character Overhaul” and “Mikoto Hair Pack.” Normally these mods have compatibility issues, but we’ve managed to come up with a solution to that, so don’t worry.

What about Fallout 4?

As of this writing, Fallout 4 is only a rumor. While we hope to port the GoE experience to Fallout 4 (whenever it is released), there are many factors in play. A fair amount of the game is based off of JHawk1666’s Pony Texture Pack Plus for Fallout 3. How much of that will translate to Fallout 4 is unknown. That being said, if it’s possible and feasible to bring Gardens of Equestria to Fallout 4, we will do it, though the story will likely end up being different and will likely take longer.

What about Fallout 3?

Fallout 3 was originally released in 2008. While still an awesome game (that we highly recommend playing), there are some substantial differences between New Vegas and Fallout 3. We may release our weapons and texture packs for Fallout 3 at a later date.

Isn’t Overmare Studios already doing this?

From my understanding, Overmare Studios started out originally as a Fallout mod project, but then decided to move to the Unity3D engine as opposed to GECK/Gamebyro engine. This gives them a huge range of options and whole new possibilites (Seriously, check out their Firearms video. It’s amazing!). They’re dedicated to turning Littlepip’s adventures into a full-fledged game in the true Equestrian Wasteland. GoE is about the world of Equestria invading the human world and the repercussions and origins of that event. While there are similarities, they are two separate projects.

Can I play as Littlepip?

The core story of Gardens of Equestria revolves around the player as the Courier, who for unique reasons, is one of the few humans that remained unaffected by the mysterious reality shift. You’ll be the one at the front of the group this time, Littlepip and her friends by your side.

Hey, why isn’t Littlepip wielding Little Macintosh?

While you can give Littlepip Little Macintosh to wield, we decided that it would be more fun for the player if they got to wield the trademark Fallout: Equestria weapons rather than leaving them solely in the hands of your companions.

Will I really be playing with five different companions throughout the game?

In Fallout: Equestria, Littlepip’s group grows over time as she discovers new allies. The same happens in Gardens of Equestria. In some missions, you will fight with one or two of your companions, while in others you’ll be fighting as a cohesive team. There will even be missions where you choose who joins you and who stays behind…and those decisions can have lasting repercussions for both you and your friends.

Can I also play GoE with other companions like Veronica, Arcade or even Willow?

The version of the companion extender we use is set to a maximum of five companions. The GoE Companions each have their own part to play in the story with their own fully-voiced dialogue. You will be unable to undergo the story missions without certain members of the GoE team. That being said, you can adventure with any combination you wish in the New Pegasus area for quests or areas that aren’t attached to the GoE storyline.

What about Blackjack, Glory, P-21, Puppysmiles, Silver Storm/Hired Gun, etc? Are they going to be in Gardens of Equestria?

At present, we do not have plans to include anyone other than the original Fallout: Equestria characters in GoE.

When will Gardens of Equestria be released?

When it’s done. The entire Manehattan Project team has full-time jobs and many have families and many other commitments. Some of us can spend more time than others. But in the end, to quote a well-known gaming company, “players won’t remember if a game is late, only if it’s great.” (Well, except for Duke Nukem, but let’s not go there

Will GoE be compatible with [INSERT MOD HERE]?

We plan to make this as compatible as possible with as many mods as possible, but of course there will be limitations. At this point in development, it’s a little early to get into more specifics

Now that’s out of the way, I want to give you some screenshots from two new areas currently under development. Please note that these are still works-in-progress, so there’s a good possibility that they may change.

The first location is called “The Primm Basement.” In the quest “Strangers in a Strange Land,” you’ll journey beneath the town of Primm to an old mine and refinery plant beneath the town that was supposed to be sealed-off years ago. You’ll encounter hostile Powder Gangers here, but their attention will be focused on your first new companion, pinned down in a side room. After getting your new friend out of trouble, you’ll fight your way down into the depths of the mining facility…finding that Powder Gangers are the least of your worries as you race to save kidnapped townspeople from a new threat.

The second location is from a much later quest, “Fire From On High.” Below you’ll get a better glimpse of the bridge of the EHS Nimbus, an Enclave Hovership with a terrifying reputation. Crewed by some of the most elite and dangerous soldiers the Enclave has, you and your companions will race against a ticking clock to reach its deadly cargo before it can destroy all of New Pegasus. Right now, this is my favorite quest line, save for maybe the grand finale. What we’ll be doing here will blow your mind!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this Behind The Fourth Wall peek into the inner secrets of the Gardens of Equestria!